Archive of Our Own

Kenjirou was almost having the time of his life, sound asleep and safe, he didn't feel like it in a long time; that was until a giant object came crashing down at his head and heard a familiar voice yell shortly after. He couldn't quite tell what was said but he knew it was Taichi that yelled and that threw a pillow at his head. He means who else would it be. Kenjirou groggily pick himself up from the bed and leaned on his right arm for support then wiped his eyes. Once he fully awake he whipped his head around to meet eyes with the culprit "Alright, Taichi, what and who the hell gave you authority to......to.", he stopped when he realized what Taichi was wearing, or at least lack of. There he was, Kawanishi Taichi, wearing nothing but the shortest pair of boxer-briefs he have ever saw "Well at least you're awake."

"WHERE THE FUCK ARE YOUR CLOTHES? PUT SOME FUCKING ON!"

Kenjirou screamed as he shove his face into the recently thrown pillow, I don't need this I don't need this I.don't.need.this ; Kenjirou kept on repeating those same words in his head and with each repeat he shove into the pillow and felt his face feel warmer and warmer. Taichi finally pulled down the pillow from Kenjirou's face once he got some half-decent clothes on and stared at him "Okay, Ken, when you're done having a mid-life crisis, get out of bed because i made some breakfast" Taichi calmly said with his signature deadpan voice and face then stood up and left the room, leaving Kenjirou and his thoughts alone, "what just happened?" he whispered to himself, trying to collect his feelings that were scrambled in his head. Never in his life had he really felt a feeling like that, well at least for a long time; the first time he felt those feelings was when he first saw Ushiwaka play but that was years ago, but now he's having the same rush with his fellow teammate and friend.

The realization struck him like a volleyball serve straight to the gut. He's gay. But he knew that for a long time. He's been gay for his captain and now his teammate, Kawanishi Taichi, anything but Taichi; he didn't believe, he didn't want to believe, but he was stuck with it.

Letting out a sigh of defeat and acceptance, he popped out of the bed and looked out the window. Heavy rain was clacking against the window and the sky was dark grey and stormy, he didn't remember the weather being that shitty last night when he snuck out to see Taichi at the playground, must have happened when he was dead asleep. Walking into the kitchen was a bit harder than he liked, wobbling left and right because his legs were still half asleep, turning his head around the corner to see Taichi sitting by the table, silently eating pancakes and a few types of fruits. They met eyes shortly after and Taichi waved his free hand towards him, silently asking him to sit down with his friend, in which he obliged. There was a bit of a awkward silence between the two boys while they ate because they didn't really know how to start a right conversation without Taichi pulling some half-ass joke out of his mouth or Kenjirou ranting about one of many things. "Sorry the food is a bit cold, you were pretty stubborn with getting up so I made the food already and ate then woke your sleeping beauty ass up," Taichi finally saying something while his mouth shoved full of food.

"But with slamming a pillow to my head, Taichi,"

"At least it wasn't a spray bottle full with water,"

"Fair point,"

Back to silence.

Taichi couldn't help but stare at Kenjirou while he ate, there was something about him, personality wise, that was different about him, and he wanted to find out. But not now, Kenjirou has not made a single salty bitch comment yet in the day, sure there was some comment that might be considered sassy but they had those types of talks all of the time. "So...uh, Ken," Shirabu peeked through his bangs and looked at Taichi for a few seconds then looked back at his plate

"Do you want anything else?" Only a shrug. "Like another apple or something? Water?"

Kenjirou only responded with a small voice "Water would be good thank you,"

Taichi sat up and walk to the fridge, opening it up and grabbing something. When he came back he placed down a water jug with about 1L or less left in it. "I didn't need this much water, Taichi"

"I don't know, might be enough water to dilute all of the small in your system,"

Kenjirou looked back up and looked back up at Taichi, "..."

"..."

"Heh, funny one, Taichi," 
So many red flags were waving in Taichi's head, this isn't Shiratorizawa's starting setter, this isn't the most salty person you will meet in the world with the non-existing bachelor degree in resting bitch face, this isn't Shirabu Kenjirou, a boy Taichi has been in love with since year one, this is someone else. He smacked the table out of small bit of anger and confusion and looked at the 'impostor'. "Okay, Ken, cut the fucking bullshit. What's wrong?"...no comment. "Ken?"...no comment. "Kenjirou, talk to me, please". Kenjirou finally perked his head up the very moment he heard his name, his name, not the little nickname Taichi uses, but his full given name.

"Sorry,"

"Eh?"

"I said I'm sorry. Are you wondering why I'm being quiet or something?"

"A bit, yeah,"

"Well, I don't really have anything to be mad or bitch about right now,"

"You don't?"

"Not really, you helped me a lot last night and I'm grateful and all,"

"Well, when you finish eating, sleeping beauty, give me your plates so I can wash them and I can give you something to wear other than those pj's" Taichi said as he sat up again and walked with his empty plates to the sink and placed them down "Hey Taichi, I've been meaning to ask about the storm outside,"
"Oh, that thing, I don't know where it came from, all I really know is that it must have happened while we were asleep, school and practice is cancelled, and that we are alone,"

"What do you mean by alone?"

"Well my parents still got called into work so we are the only one here. Well us and Emi-Chan,"

"Emi-Chan?" 

A tiny mew came behind Kenjirou's head and when he whipped his head around he saw a tiny, tortoiseshell kitten that was playing with Taichi's pant leg, "I didn't know you had a cat, Taichi,". The tall boy down at his pant leg and saw the small kitten nibbling at his pants "I haven't told you yet?"

"Not that I remembered,"

"Well then consider this as a first meeting," Taichi picked up the kitten and sat down beside Kenjirou. "This is Emi-Chan. She's kinda the reason why I don't have a dorm and stay at my house,"

"Wait, why?"

"Well my parents are too busy to look after her and if I had a dorm room then I couldn't bring her with me because they don't allow cats and the fact that she'll be alone too."

"I guess you're right," Kenjirou hold out his hand and let the little fluff ball to sniff his hand, Emi-Chan rubbed her little face around his hand and Kenjirou's face lit up with wide eyes, it later stopped when he heard Taichi trying to hold in his laughter.

"What?" Kenjirou asked

"Sorry sorry, it's just that you looked like a 12 year-old child when you she rubbed against you,"

"Oh shut up, you sentient meme,"

"There we go,"

Kenjirou only responded with sticking out his tongue and picking up his dishes and taking them to the sink. Emi-Chan climbed out of Taichi's arms and raced towards upstairs. "Where's the cat going?" Kenjirou asked

"Probably going to hide in my mom's closet or something, how about I get you some better clothes,"

"What wrong with my clothes right now?"

"Well you went through several windows, been walking outside for at least a hour in the middle of the night and then you slept in them,"

"I guess that's a good point,"

"It is a good point, follow me," 

They both headed back to Taichi's room, Kenjirou never really got a good view of Taichi's room, he looked at all of the various of medals won during his middle school year. He started to zone out, looking at the little details in everything until a little poke caught on his shoulder "While you were zoning out I put down some clothes for you,"

"Ah, thank you,". Taichi later walked out of the room and closed the door, Kenjirou and his mind were alone again, looking at the tee shirt and sweatpants that were spread out on the bed, they were absolutely huge compared to him, and Taichi even said that they were his smallest pair of clothing before he left. Liar. Quickly putting on the clothing he later looked at himself in the mirror, he was so tiny, he looked like a small kid wearing a older brother's clothing. Stepping closer to the mirror he noticed something, he was blushing; it wasn't the most noticeable but there was definitely pink in his cheeks and spreading onto his nose; and he knew just why. Rather not thinking about it any more he tighten up the string around the pants and exited the room.

Music started to hum in his ears as he got closer to the kitchen, when Kenjirou popped his head around the corner he saw something that would definitely be blackmail material. Taichi's dancing. Okay it wasn't full dancing but Taichi was definitely swinging his hips to some sort of French electric swing that was playing on his phone while he was doing the dishes. Once he was finished washing the dishes he started to hop around to the beat around the kitchen, and if you listen closely you could actually hear him singing. This was one of the most funniest and with him being honest, the cutest thing he has seen Taichi do. Slowly spinning around on right heel, he ended up facing Kenjirou, which could only be bad. Lifting his eyelids up he saw his teammate, peaking around the corner, watching everything he had done. A noise that Kenjirou only thought Tendou could ever make popped out of Taichi's mouth and he stood there, almost glowing like a red Christmas light "Ken..."

"Y-Yes?"

"Ten seconds," Taichi said as he hold out a hand 

"Ten seconds?" His stomach felt like it had pebbles in it when he realized what he meant, no, not pebbles, giant stones, he's dead

"Nine,"

That was all it took for him to dash for the stairs

"Eightsevensixfivefourthreetwoone!" Now it was Taichi's turn to dash for the stairs after Kenjirou. But with Taichi having the more longer of limbs, it was easy for him to catch up and get Kenjirou. Wrapping his arms around Kenjirou's waist, it was no problem to pick him up off the ground, now if only Kenjirou would stop swirming, "I'm sorry okay, I didn't mean to stare or anything okay I-"

"Okay can you chill now?"

"Aren't you going to kill me?"

"Kill you? Nah, I just you to live a bit and I was just offering to dance and I gave you ten seconds to choose," he started to drift off and mumble at the end of the sentence he just said, but he knew what he wanted. 

"Alright, I'll dance with you." Taichi dropped Kenjirou at record time the moment he said those word, then later lightly grabbed Kerjirou's wrists, "May I?" Taichi said in a half-ass fancy tone

"Sure, I guess,"


Taichi finally lead them both into kitchen again the phone was. Letting go of Kenjirou's wrist he picked out a song, when he turned around with one hand towards Ken and another covering his eyes and a bit of his face too. While he was good at hiding his neutral emotions around but when it came to love for Taichi, he was almost a open book if you payed attention. He knew exactly what he was doing. So he played along. Kenjirou grabbed hand and intertwined their finger soon after, this lead to Taichi lifting the hand from his face and looked at his friend. "You're a cliched dork, Kawanishi Taichi,"

"But don't you love me for that?" Kenjirou only responded with a small nod as Taichi pulled him closer. The music started and the first thing that Kenjirou noticed was the lyrics, they were in English, he's dancing to a song with lyrics he will barely understand. He looked up and saw Taichi staring back down on him. With the faintest amount of blush he started to sing.

 You can dance-every dance with the guy. Who gives you the eye,let him hold you tight. You can smile-every smile for the man. Who held your hand neath the pale moon light. But don't forget who's takin' you home, and in whose arms you're gonna be. So darlin' save the last dance for me.

Taichi was never the best at speaking English but you knew that he sung this song multiple times due to him singing so fluent, even with the awkward grammar he accidentally threw in. It was cute.

 Oh I know that the music's fine. Like sparklin' wine, go and have your fun. Laugh and sing, but while we're apart. Don't give your heart to anyone. But don't forget who's takin' you home, and in whose arms you're gonna be. So darlin' save the last dance for me. 


Didn't even take a single word to spread that special question and answer. Only a small smirk and a nod. They always had that special quirk on what they were going to say before they did. If they ever needed at all.

Baby don't you know I love you so. Can't you feel it when we touch. I will never, never let you go. I love you oh so much. You can dance, go and carry on. Till the night is gone, and it's time to go. If he asks if you're all alone. Can he walk you home,you must tell him no. 'Cause don't forget who's taking you home, and in whose arms you're gonna be. Save the last dance for me. 

Kenjirou also joined in on the singing, even though he didn't know the words to the song, he had a clue and at least he had a better singing voice

Oh I know that the music's fine. Like sparklin' wine, go and have your fun. Laugh and sing, but while we're apart. Don't give your heart to anyone, and don't forget who's takin' you home, and in whose arms you're gonna be. So darling,save the last dance for me. So don't forget who's taking you home. Or in whose arms you're gonna be. So darling, Save the last dance for me.

They didn't even have a care in the world anymore, they were to deep into the song and dance to care. With the song ending soon, Taichi slowly lowered Kenjirou into a dip.

"So Kenjirou, how long have you known about your feelings?"

"Probably few months or so, just realized it today when you were in your boxers. You?"

"First year."

Shirabu gave out a small whistle to that and release a small puff of air in the form of a chuckle "I can't believe you talked me into this."

"You were the one who agreed to it,"  

"Fair point, now get over here, you sentient, cliché meme,"

"Alright, you sentient salt shaker," 

And with that, they both closed the gap between each other's lips, they both knew that they wanted this, they both knew that they loved.

End